By Leonardo Micua

 

A TRICKY but loaded question surfaced during the last committee hearing on the 2024 annual budget conducted by the seven-majority bloc of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Councilor Irene Lim-Acosta who barely said anything during the hearing broke her silence and asked City Budget Officer Jessa Rayopa: “What vote is needed to pass an appropriations ordinance? Is it a simple majority or a qualified majority?

Perhaps surprised by the question that she didn’t expect, Rayopa was prompted to answer. She clarified that she’s responding to it not as a city budget officer but as a law professor. (She teaches law at the Lyceum Northwestern University whose law dean is Atty. Farah Decano.)

Though she was aware that the passage of the 2023 annual budget of Dagupan was done without any amendment or objection from the majority bloc when the measure was taken up in the Sanggunian, it was tantamount to a vote by all. But she still asked the same question as if Rayopa is the final arbiter.

From the questions raised by Konsi Irene to Atty. Jessa, it appears that after the 2023 appropriations ordinance was passed, she, her mother Celia and Alfie—who were out of the country when the appropriations measure was passed -still wanted to vote on the measure the following week.

Although she admitted she is just a newbie in the Sanggunian, she must know that this is no longer possible. And the law professor told her just that.

Recall that it was during the next session when Konsi Irene, her mother and Alfie had just arrived from separate vacation overseas. Irene became rowdy after Konsi Red and Alfie took turns in lambasting the person of VM Kua for refusing to reverse its own ruling that only those who attended the session when the 2023 appropriations ordinance was passed can vote on the minutes of the last session.

She started shouting, calling  Vice Mayor Bryan Kua names.

I believe that was reason why the three opposition councilors were recently indicted by the Dagupan City Prosecution Service for offenses committed against VM Kua. The complaint-affidavit was signed by the other minority members.

Recall too that the seven majority in the SP filed a petition before RTC Branch 76 in Dagupan City appealing for the issuance for a Temporary Restraining Order to stop the implementation of the 2023 appropriations ordinance because of their contention that the same was passed just by a simple majority and not by a qualified majority as required in Corella versus PhilKonstruk which was decided by the Supreme Court.  The court denied their petition.

Recall too that the seven-man majority refused to act on Supplemental Budget No. 2 and its accompanying Supplemental Annual Investment Program appropriating funds for the Special Recognition Incentive (SRI) and Gratuity Pay of city government employees because of their flawed belief that if they pass the two, they would be violating the rule of sub judice

What sub judice were they talking about when at that stage, the persons complained of had not been formally notified about the matter.

Apparently not contended with the court decision dismissing their petition for TRO, Irene asked Atty. Jessa’s opinion. Now that’s forum-shopping.

Atty.  Jessa was not the only one they asked. They also asked City Secretary Ryan Ravanzo who was noting the minutes of the committee hearing as if his opinion still mattered.

I do not want to speculate, but the tyranny of the majority may be rearing its ugly head again to deny the Belen Fernandez administration the annual budget. Let’s wait and see.

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